Harawira drops N-bomb on water hui debate

Posted by karere under Maori News

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira has lashed out at Maori Party MPs for suggesting they won’t attend the national water rights hui, calling them Prime Minister John Key’s “little house niggers”.

The Maori King, King Tuheitia, called the hui for next week after the Government rejected recommendations from the Waitangi Tribunal to hold a Maori summit on the issue. It followed a Tribunal report which said the Government would breach the Treaty if it went ahead with its partial sale of four state-owned power companies before resolving Maori claims within their catchment areas.

The Government has also rejected calls for a national water settlement and Key said yesterday said he wouldn’t attend the hui because the Government wanted to settle the issue through direct negotiation with individual iwi. The Prime Minister also ruled out any of National’s Maori MPs attending.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples yesterday told media he was unsure whether any MPs, including those from his party, should go and that iwi leaders, claimant groups and the Maori Council - which took the claim to the Tribunal - should “work it out themselves”.

His comments angered Harawira, who took to Facebook.

“Time John Key realised a few home truths like (1) he can tell his little house niggers what to do, but (2) the rest of us don’t give a shit for him or his opinions!”

Later he suggested Sharples and fellow Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia would be forced to attend or send their third MP, Te Ururoa Flavell.

“What’s the bet that Tari and Pete cop so much flak from Maori for saying that they’re not going to the hui on water - that they find some reason to change their mind and say they’re gonna go now (or send Te Ururoa). Knowing how the Maori Party works, they’ll have to clear it with John Key first though.”

Flavell today dismissed the comments as “a normal Hone-ism”. “That’s how Hone operates. We are used to it and people will judge him on those sorts of comments.”

The hui was for Maoridom, politicians didn’t have a part to play in that, he said. “They will give us instruction or give us some views after the hui but they should be able to meet in their own way and in their own time.”

The Maori Party did not follow instructions from Key said, Flavell said.

Harawira could not be reached for comment.

The Government has been negotiating with the Iwi Leaders Group - which represents New Zealand’s largest tribes - on water issues, not directly with the Maori Council.

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